People become vegan for three reasons: environment, health and ethics. Although there are many societal benefits to a vegan lifestyle, only 2% of the U.S. population is currently vegan. Past research has shown that, as a group, vegans’ behavior matches their beliefs. This study is based on semi-structured interviews with 17 vegans in Burlington, Vermont. The purpose of the study was to better understand why and how these vegans became and maintained a vegan lifestyle. An analysis of the interviews showed that the participants went through four stages in their vegan journey: Readiness, Spark, Learning and Telling, and Continuing Journey. By examining these stages, this study concludes that by learning
about veganism we can better understand how individuals bridge the gap between their values and actions.